Today I am wearing the latest release from Ormonde Jayne, Isfahan. Isfahan is named for the historical Iranian city, once the capital of the Persian Empire; the picture above shows Isfahan's famous Khaju bridge, constructed in 1650. Isfahan is designated as a men's fragrance, and the notes include pink pepper, lime oil, bergamot, jasmine, moss, and cedar. (Update 12/05: this fragrance has now been renamed Isfarkand)
Before I start raving about Isfahan, I will point out by way of a disclaimer that I adore the Ormonde Jayne line. There are other perfume houses with fragrances that I like as well as the Ormonde Jaynes, but I cannot think of any other line where I like such a high percentage of the fragrances. Of the 8 scents that preceded Isfahan, there are 4 that I number among my very favorite perfumes, and 3 more that I would wear happily if I had a bottle.
Isfahan starts with citrus notes, very heavy on the lime, and lots of pink pepper. As with Ta'if, it smells very sheer after the top notes evaporate, but it deepens over the next hour, eventually drying down to a peppery blend of moss and light woods. The jasmine is muted, and there is a lovely hint of vetiver. It has what I think of as the signature Ormonde Jayne touch: it smells very dense and rich, but not at all heavy.
The notes in Isfahan are perhaps not as unusual as in some of the other Ormonde Jaynes, but it is just beautifully done, and as it happens, the notes include many of my favorites. The lasting power is excellent.
I would hesitate to call it a unisex fragrance, as it probably tips the scales towards masculine, but I will certainly be wearing it this summer. I had been planning to purchase Ta'if soon, but this will have to come first, and I will have to find a good hiding place for it as I made the mistake of letting my husband try it as well.
Ormonde Jayne Isfarkand is available in 50 ml Eau de Parfum. For buying information, see the listing for Ormonde Jayne under Perfume Houses.
I will not be posting this weekend, hope to see you Monday!
Note: top image is Khaju Bridge, Isfahan [cropped] by Jeff McNeil at flickr; some rights reserved.
Sounds really rather nice for summer, men's scent or not. (I was amazed to find out that Habit Rouge was for men – I wore it for years!) So I've sent off for the free sample – ooh, the excitement! (I virtually tattooed my email address on poor Linda's arm when I was in the shop recently – and it's paid off!) N
Hey N, If you would wear Habit Rouge (and I do too, by the way, and waiting to smell the new lighter version) then you will not have a problem with the Isfahan.
And lucky you, I am so dying to visit the shop! I would tattoo “light floral incense” all over her forehead, do you think it would work??
Hi chere NST, I would tap an iris tattoo on her perky little head, if I thought it would impel her to finish that iris scent , already.
Have a great weekend and one more thank you for this wonderful blog.
xoxo,
Laurelines
I've just written Linda in hopes of snagging a sample. Ormonde for Men smelled so delicious on Will that I'm really looking forward to smelling Isfahan on him. Grrrr. (Of course, the name reminds me of the Billy Strayorn tune, “Isfahan,” one of the all-time beautiful compositions in jazz.)
Miss Laurelines, I was just admiring your lovely drawings and trying to think of something artistic to say about them.
Iris sounds lovely too. I'll take what I can get.
Hey T, is that on Duke Ellington's Far East Suite? I don't own that one.
ahhhhhh, you nailed the “signature Ormonde Jayne touch” of richness/depth without weight … and since you'll be occupied with I, more Ta'if for me!!!
great review!
Thanks, but don't get too comfortable, M, I will get to Ta'if eventually
It was very nice when I tried it with the previous name. As I must have mentioned I tried this on the day of the “previous” launch! ;D
Have a great weekend. Will catch you end of next week!!
xoxo
Thank you, Miss Now,
Oh ,go ahead and say anything. I start to get all paranoid when there are not many comments, like “is it really THAT bad??” Miss Kate just left me a sweet thought, btw.
Laurelines, shamelessly cadging for comments
Ok, I said anything. I am very comment-dependent too. It is very eerie when nobody can think of a single thing to say.
N, I am so glad you mentioned this scent on your blog, I just love it!!! You have a wonderful weekend too and hope things are going smoothly
Love the name of this scent. Isfahan conjures up images of an uber-exotic Persian city.
I will be sure to ask for a sample of Isfahan when I purchase Tolu (and maybe Frangipane too) in the fall.
Well, the trouble with tattoing it on her forehead is that she would only be able to see it in the mirror – so you'd have to do it backwards… Personally, I'd like to see Linda's take on Fun Fruity – done the OJ way, there would be no danger of a So Terribly Irresistible!
Yeah, maybe more so (?) when it's a question of your artwork that you've brazenly put out there for all the world to see. ;D. Thanks for the comment, btw, sweetie.
LA
Good point, will have to think of a better spot.
I feel like I am surrounded by fun fruity every time I walk into a department store, but you are right, Linda could do one worth smelling. As long as it doesn't have apple, which seems to be creeping into everything.
Yes, yes, get Frangipani too, LOL! Tolu is so lovely, and I think it has the highest rating on MakeupAlley, but it is actually the only one I can't wear. It just doesn't suit me.
Thanks dear R! Off to London for a few days for some R&R!
Cannot wait.
xoxo
Knowing that OJ Frangipane is one of your very favorite scents tips the balance in favor of getting this scent. I hold your opinions in the highest regards!
What a sweet thing to say, thank you! I wish I liked the Tolu better, I think it probably her most interesting fragrance. It just doesn't work on me.
Oh I'm so glad it will be a week of rest & fun! Can't wait to hear what you find.
NST, thanks for letting me know about the Ormonde Jayne line. Never head of it before until reading your blog. I bit the bullet and ordered the sample set from the London store, then I'm hiding my credit cards from myself this weekend. From the way you describe the OJ scents, I don't know why the cosmetic buyers at Barneys and Bergdorf aren't killing themselves to bring this line exclusively to NYC, or maybe they are and we don't know about it yet. Have a nice weekend.
I can't wait to hear which of them you love, if any! I have heard in the past that OJ preferred not to have a US distributor, but maybe that will change some day. In the meantime, at least she makes samples easily available and does not charge an arm & a leg for shipping.
My only comment – Thank heavens for your blog and thank heavens Linda did NOT release another woman's fragrance. I don't think my wallet could take another hit – I am already 3/4 done with my Frangipane and this is one, along with Tolu, I will never be without. I agree this house (along with my beloved Guerlain) is one that deeply respect tradition and is uniquely its own. There is something *very* distinct about Linda's fragrances. Thanks for the review – next time I place an order I will ask for a sample. Have a great weekend off!
Hey F, welcome home! Hope the rest of your trip went well.
LA says there is an iris scent coming later this year so I am saving my pennies. And you went through that Frangipani mightly quick
Tolu is one I actually gave away because I could not wear it. Some note in it irritated me, almost as if I was allergic to it.
Champaca, though, is perfection. Frangipani divine.
L, That is interesting. I have only had 1 allergic reaction so far, to Narciso Rodriguez.
Just as well to only need 2 of the line, anyway!
Hmmm…
I may have to send away for samples. The Frangiapane sounds divine.
And I loooove iris notes in fragrances.
The sample set is very worth it! I don't know when the iris scent is supposed to be released though.
I have since tried Iskarkand, and no kidding, after the drydown, it reminds me exactly of when you clean out the fireplace and you get ahes all up your nose. Does no one else smell ashes? Boy, how different we all are!
Guessing that it is from the combination of pepper & moss…it does have quite a bit of pink pepper.